


it's nothing

by vaultboii



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-06-06 11:52:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6752830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaultboii/pseuds/vaultboii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So, who do you like?”</p><p>He never knew those words would affect him so much.</p><p>In other words, Nick has a crush. He doesn't know how to even deal with it. Finnick is best wingman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. it's nothing at all

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this will be a bunch of vignettes? I haven't decided.

“So, who do you like?”

He freezes. His tongue curls upon itself as his hands nearly slip around their position on the bunny’s chair, nearly sliding off to hit the ground. He recovers quickly, brushing off his failure. “Me, Carrots? Liking someone?” He barely has the breath to speak normally, slurring his words together into a slushie of runny contents. It sounds too watery to be true. “Ah, you really don’t know me that well. I’m hurt.”

He knows he’s screwed when Judy glances up, barely noticing her ears tickling the edges of his claws. “I know you, you shifty liar.” She teases, eyes so god-damn pure purple, reflecting the echo of beautiful night sky right in them up into his tainted ones. She clicks her oversized pen permanently closed; he forgot he gave that back to her only this morning, just all in good tastes. “You like someone. Who?”

“I don’t know where you’ve gotten this concept that I like someone, rabbit.” He gets off the back of her chair as she stands up, trying his best to appear casual. She brushes off his awkwardness absentmindedly; little does she know this absentminded, curious conversation of hers is drifting him beyond what he usually commits to in emotional standards. “I’m in a dedicated, emotion-filled relationship with myself, if that counts.” He winks at her, realizing only too late how **stupid** that was. 

The paperwork they were supposed to be doing lies dejected there, as she picks up her luggage she tows between her apartment and here. “I don’t believe that for one second, Nick Wilde.” She raises an eyebrow: oh, if she only knew how much this was killing him. “You do like someone, and I aim to find out someday.” 

She struts out the room, only pausing to wait for him. He tries to follow, and finds himself unable to move; feet welded to the ground by the sheer intensity of her words. Only then is when she notices, and that’s when her face scrunches into this adorable pout of confusion that sends a vibrating chill down his back. By God, it was like she was trying got kill him with her cuteness. “Are you okay?” Her voice drips with concerned liability, and it makes him want to just tear his fur out, drop to the floor and call it a day. 

He forces himself to talk. “Aye, I’m fine, just enjoying the last few drops of air-conditioning before I step out into the horrid, sweltering heat wave you are forcing me to accompany you in.” He makes his numb paws cross into a mocking tantrum, seeing her confused pout melt into an exasperated smirk. 

“Are you sure?” Her beautiful moonlit eyes read mixed, purple with tints of agonized confusion. 

“It’s nothing.” He gets his legs working again, and strolls past her to the lobby. “Come on, doll.”


	2. i'm just teasing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, that's a lot of views and kudos.
> 
> thank you guys :D
> 
> Just a heads up, there is some minor suggestive themes in this vignette. Very minor. Just Finnick implying some certain things without knowing how to be vague about it. 
> 
> also, i got bored, so i changed the whole way i wrote the story. whoops. apologies.

Finnick needed to stop.

“Oh, my god. That’s the fourth god damn time today.” The fennec whistled an impressed C sharp, eyeing his friend with meticulous intentions as she erratically waved at them. Without realizing it he raised his right paw in greetings, shooting a brief salute straight at her. Twitching, she caught the respect with a twirl of her wrist, beaming a smile so bright it blinded his emotions. Of course, he couldn’t help but flush; _dammit, dammit, dammit_ he thought he had that under control. “You guys should just do the do and get hitched at this rate.”

Lost in her smile, he didn’t hear the last sentence. Forcefully wrenching himself from her gaze, he blinked toward his friend in an insatiable stupidity that probably only newborn cubs could replicate. “What?” He asked as the fennec rolled his eyes in only such a way that Finnick could do. The fennec led him down the crowded street with the air of a teacher about to start an explaining rant; finding himself next to a blueberry cart, he took the golden opportunity to have snacks during the lecture. “What’d you say?”

“I said SEX and then MARRY.” Finnick casually jumped up and plucked half the stolen blueberries from his paws. “Let NATURAL INSTINCTS take OVER. DO the DO. SEEEEEEEEEEEEX. You hear me now?”

The street went quiet. That damn fennec was louder than he put off.

He said nothing, shoving the blueberries onto his friends head as he walked off. The fennec, laughing, followed, pushing past the very confused and very irritated pedestrians. “Ha, knew it would get to ya!” The fennec yelled from behind him; Nick shoved off the urge to arrest him and get him jailed for “verbal harassment towards a member of the ZPD.” Of course, Judy would probably see right through his plan towards imprisoning the jerk-wad. He settled on walking too fast for the fennec to keep up, and, soon enough, Finnick was far enough behind him to be any concern for him. “Wait up, Slick!”

He slowed down, complaints at the ready. “I can’t believe you said that.” He finally grunted at the fennec once he caught up. His friend chuckled as he continued to fume, stiffly shoving his hands into his police pockets. “She’s a friend. A friend! I don’t know where you’ve hustled the idealism that I’m into her.” 

“Man, you in love so bad you can’t admit it. That, my bro, is sad, sad news indeed.” Finnick dragged on the first word, winking at him. He sped up in irritation. The fennec, trying to match his furious pace, made an exasperated noise and resorted to a light jog. “Slow down,” the mini-fox panted, but he ignored his pleas. “Slow down.”

“Fine.” He veered off abruptly to the left, deciding that stretching his legs was probably not the best way to burn off his vexed emotions. Reaching a conclusion, he made his way to a bench to listen to whatever absurd idea the mini-fox had in mind. Sprawling onto the bench, he titled his aviators downwards to properly acknowledge Finnick’s existence. “Continue on whatever rant you have left about your OTP.”

Finnick didn’t seem to hear him, as he was already knees-deep into his rant. (Well, more like heads-deep in the mini-fox’s case) “Oh, I can just see it; ZPD’s first interspecies COUPLE! The wedding will be so famous I can already taste how much the bill will cost.” The hustler whistled again, jumping onto a bench. He then gestured around the city, as if calculating unknown numbers. “Everyone would be there. NICK AND JUDY’S WEDDING. Even Gazelle will be there! And, damn, if she’s there, you can bet I will be there too.” 

Nick scoffed, interrupting his friend. “Wedding? What wedding?” He protested bitterly, trying not to sound salty but failing miserably. “I’ll get married to Judy once Chief Buffalo Butt gains a sense of humour.” 

“Mate, your eyes are saying everything right now.” Finnick retorted, and punched him lightly on the shoulder. The fennec’s face was ripped into a carnal smirk capable of rendering little ones terrified. “Oh, I never thought I’d see the day where Nick, the SLICK HUSTLER OF ALL-TIME, gets his heart hustled by a prey. It’s unbelievable!”

“I’m not in love.” He denied, heart screaming the opposite. “You should know me. I’m in a strict, obsessive relationship with myself.” 

“That’s what they all say.” His friend laughed. “I bet you told her that, huh?”

“Shut up.”


	3. sharp elbow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i've been inactive
> 
> yay me

He didn’t see the elbow until it hit him.

He felt it jut into his side, bruising his perfectly good ribcage as he gasped, a wheeze echoing through his lungs as he grabbed where the sharp needles were singing in agony. He was stunned; for one, he didn’t expect the assault to happen, or that it would hurt. Number two? Jesus, she was strong.

And, _boy,_ did it hurt. 

She gasped. Somehow the noise managed to fill his already screaming emotions of betrayal with more emotions, which surprisingly was mentally possible. She spun around, and of course, that just gave him a full view of her surprised velvet eyes, which only drove his anxiety upwards. “I am so sorry; I didn’t know you were there, are you alright?” Her voice tumbled along so fast he was afraid she would topple over from lack of oxygen. “Nick, I didn’t mean it, I was just trying to get Chief Bogo’s attention, and-”

“No, no, no, no.” He waved her off, grimacing as he hobbled to a bench. His side seized up when he sat down; _what’d she do, hit him with a brick and run him through with a sword?_ His breath quickly came back and he quietly released pressure on the already forming bruise. “I’m fine.”

“No, you are not.” She argued.

And then she touched him.

He felt her. The static shock it sent through his side drove his instincts into overdrive, and, _hoo boy, was it getting warm out here or what._ He glanced down at her hand, hooked so nicely in his arm, and, _why couldn’t it be like this way all the time? Just him and her, together and happy for all time-_

No. He yanked away as fast as he could, trying to ignore the fluttery feeling at where she had pressed against his side. Flashing a quick grin, he carefully knocked her hand off his arm. “Nah, I’m alright.” He replied smoothly back, hoping desperately the bunny didn’t see right through his act. 

“Are you sure?” There it was again, the dreaded hand reaching out temptingly inviting him to partake in its warmth. “You look pained.”

He laughed, half-convincingly, half not. “Darling, warn me next time you decide to shove your elbow into my side.” He joked, trying to act like his old self, trying to act like the emotionless crap he was before. The old motto of his came to mind; he smiled with heavy fakery, and waved a hand away at her. “Dumb bunny.”

The insult brought relief to her anxious eyes, and he felt terrible for the lie. “Alright,” she finally caved in, a beautiful smirk gently replacing the worried look locked upon her face. “Dumb fox.”

She had no idea how adorable she sounded when she said that.


	4. 3am

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters in a row yay meeeee

His phone buzzed at three in the morning. 

**finnicktheboss: hey man  
** **finnicktheboss: hows it going**  
**finnicktheboss: saw ya eyeing your cute friend again yesterday**  
**finnicktheboss: how’s that going for ya**

He threw the phone angrily across his bed; it hit a pillow, bounced upwards, giving him just enough time to catch it before it shattered on the ground. The fennec woke him for this, just this. And she was HERE.

They were on a case. Another homicide, only this one came with some hate from a mysterious killer who targeted prey only. As if tensions in Zootopia weren’t high enough already. Anyway, Judy and him were told, stay under the radar and investigate. Which was why, with Judy’s brilliance, they were from the midst of an old motel. 

Of course, it didn’t help that his friend was spamming him when she was just one bed away.

_Remind him why was he friends with the fennec again?_

**slicknickthicc: what do animals do at three in the morning**  
**slicknickthicc: wtf dude**  
**finnicktheboss: what**  
**finnicktheboss: i’m just stating facts here**

Deep breath in, deep breath out. He tried not to strangle himself. He almost succeeded.

**slicknickthicc: aight, lemme lay it out to you  
** **finnicktheboss: here we go**  
**slicknickthicc: she is a friend**  
**slicknickthicc: nothing more**  
**slicknickthicc: you need to stop reading fanfiction**

The wait for a response caused him to glance nervously around the motel. Judy laid deadweight motionless in the opposite bed, blankets curled around her like some caterpillar in a cocoon. Every few minutes there would be a shift, and then a blanket would uncurl just to swivel up back into a mess facing the opposite direction.

He knew she was a light sleeper. He quieted his internal turmoil. 

Not quiet enough though, because she turned and peered at him, eyes heavy and glazed under the phone screen’s intensity. “Nick- why are you up-“

At that point, Finnick decided to text.

**Finnicktheboss: now that was the purest form of horsecrap i’ve ever read**

He shut the phone screen off, rapidly shoving in under the blanket fort he had made for himself. The screen dulled, but not fast enough.

“Who are you texting?” And there she was up, eyes a little wider under the rays of the dark. “And why at this time?”

“Finnick decided to spam me.” He gave half-truths; better than lies, better than lies. “I decided to give him a piece of my amazing intellect and told him to shut up.” He cocked a sly smile at her he knew she could see in the dark. “Didn’t work.”

“You boys.” And there was the rabbit he knew. The bunny added onto that. “Don’t know when to sleep, huh?”

“Well, technically, we, at one point, had genetics and biology that allowed us to be nocturnal. Now, I know a dumb bunny like you won’t know what those big words mean, so I’ll dumb it down; we used to be awake at this time.” He teased, and, _hurrah,_ he was on a roll today with faking. 

She laughed, and wasn’t that the brightest thing he heard all day. “Go back to bed, nerd.”

“Weirdo.” He clicked his screen on, checking the hundred spams Finnick sent him. They all consisted of enraged, _“NICK RESPOND YOU TURD.”_ He clicked the phone off again. “Goodnight, fluff butt.”

“Night, furbrain.”

The next day, he remembered to block Finnick.


	5. touches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a chapter what
> 
> ohmigod i just realized I got comments and i'm crying because you're all so pure and sgpoihnsphnasphbms
> 
> thank you for the love

The platonic touches and hugs were really starting to get to him.

He looks at her, driving all proud and hotshot beside him, like she had won the lottery and discovered a cure to some horrible killing disease at the same time. She’s smiling that big ol’ grin, ear to ear, perked to their highest, teeth shining their brightest.

He doesn’t know what the assignment is for today. Probably just the usual driving around, scouting for the odd criminal to chase, ticket and continue on with life. Zootopia’s always a peaceful place when Judy Hopps is on duty. 

It’s not his fault his mind is drifting, and his eyes are adverting to her. The hot air is really starting to get to him, and his rejected emotions are swirling wrathfully, tired of being pushed away. Summer’s heat always promotes some to do some daring things. Even innocent ol’ foxes like him.

His feet are on the dash, and when she changes her grin to scowl at him to take them off, he waves her off. 

“They aren’t gonna hurt anyone, Hopps,” he hears himself say, while he eyes her paws, her small tiny paws gripping the steering wheel. He’s just staring. He tells himself, _‘There’s no actual emotion behind the movements or the glances.’_ He’s just looking. No harm done.

So when she shoves his feet off, he doesn’t expect it.

_(She’s been doing a lot that surprises him nowadays.)_

Her touch is just a brush, a harsh brush, but he feels like it sends an electric shock straight through him, and he freezes. She doesn’t notice, she never notices, laughing that merry lil’ laugh that just sends shivers up his back. “Your feet might not hurt anyone, but the stench might.” She insults, but it doesn’t hurt; _she’s too much of an angel to be hurt by._

“Keep your eyes on the road, fluffbutt.” He retorts by gently pushing her back, aviators almost slipping off his face. He’s not crying inwardly that he had enough nerve to touch her fluff. It’s the softest thing in the world.

He craves her touch, platonic or not, and it’s driving him savage.

“Says you,” she snaps back cheerily, and they laugh together.

When her eyes finally turn back to the road, he lets his eyes go to the road with her, lost in thought. He won’t stare. He won’t. He won’t give in to the temptation to put his hand on her shoulder. Not at all. Never.

He puts his hand on her shoulder. 

She twitches, looks at it, then smiles all the brighter.

_Maybe it **is** something._

He laughs later. _Nah, who is he kidding? It’s (probably) nothing._


	6. The Gem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shit i've been away for a while
> 
> here's a chapter to make up for my missing ass.
> 
> description: Whereas Finnick needs to stop. Badly.

“I got you something, mate!”

He doesn’t hear Finnick until the fennec screeches next to him, his vans’ music blaring loud enough that he can feel the molecules in the air vibrating at its decibels. He nearly falls off the park bench, gritting his teeth so tight they’re probably dull as an herbivore’s now.

“Why,” is the first thing he complains about to Finnick when the small fox slams the door open next to him, and the other cops on lunch break give him a nasty questioning look. The fennec doesn’t shut his music off, and the loud screaming of heavy metal echoes over the once-peaceful lunch area.

“What?” Finnick’s face is the living expression of stupidity. “Got a problem with metal?”

“Yes.” He takes another look at his fellow cops, who are giving him the, _‘Ticket that fennec right now or I will tell Chief Bogo about this’_ look he’s so familiar with. “Why now? I’m not sure if you’ve noticed behind me, but I’m On. Duty. Now, scram before I do something you _won’t like_.”

“Trying to get rid of me quickly, huh?” The insult soars straight over Finnick’s head, just like everything else. “Come on, buddy, lemme just tell ya this. I got ya something.”

“Oh, fabulous. The selfish fennec got Nick Wilde something. What is it, something entirely useless to me so that you can borrow it later?” He picks at the wooden bench with his claws, dulling them. He wouldn’t be surprised if the fennec did that, to be honest. He expected it at this point.

“No, no. I got you a gem.” Finnick says, and time flashes before his eyes.

“You did what now.” He hisses, and nearly drags the fennec out of the van in his enthusiastic anger. The remaining police officers decide that’s enough, and casually file their way from the area. He’s going to get reported to Chief Buffalo Butts about this. He doesn’t care. “You did _what_ now?”

“Gem. For you. Love life.” Finnick avoids his hands with a sadistic smirk he just wants to rip off the fennec’s face. “Thought it might help. Probably will, considering you need help attracting her attention. You don’t have much to attract anyone with.”

“Some may disagree with that,” he mumbles, but Finnick pretends not to hear him.

“Anyway, it’s something called moonstone? Yeah, moonstone.” The fennec dodges his flailing hands again, and turned around to grab a plastic bag, cackling as he made several annoyed noises in his attempt to stop him. “It’s like for balancing emotions and crap like that, but it’s also semi stuff for love. Not too much though. It was the cheapest there so, here. Moonstone, to calm your sexual urges.”

“I’m not taking that.” He stares at the plastic bag as Finnick fumbles around looking for the stone. “I’m not taking that at all.”

“Really?” The fennec finds something, and draws out a box. It’s faded, and beaten. Quite sad to look at. “Even if it’s like this?”

It’s blue. No, not just blue; it’s the colour of the deepest ocean, hues of black and darkness, with shining white film over its sea of white. It’s almost like staring into her eyes; her beautiful, dark purple eyes, only it’s blue like hers in sadness. It contains the tears of many, and he’s caught in its weeping light. He almost wants to look away, but he can’t; it’s the portrait of the moon captured in the sea’s icy reflection. It’s jaw-dropping.

He raises a shaky paw to take it, and Finnick’s laugh disrupts the tranquility of the moment. “Told ya you’d like it.”

“It’s, it’s not something I should be carrying on me,” he tries to lamely say, but the roaring moonstone seems to have taken him by surprise, enough to wretch a hole into his selfish heart. “Chief Buffalo Butt doesn’t like jewellery on his police officers at all-”

“Liar. You’re horrible when you’re sappy. You got that look like she touched you again. Ha.” Finnick chortles again, and then the van is starting up.  He doesn’t look up, because the stone’s that beautiful, and some piece of trash like him shouldn’t be staring at it, and, _dammit,_ those same emotions swell up. “Thank me later, you lovesick dork.”

He doesn’t get the chance to shout at the fennec, because his voice is swallowed by the gift, and all he can do is stare at the beautiful pocket-sized moon that outshines its box. The van hurtles away, and he takes a seat on the bench, enraptured by the gem.

He was _so_ going to kill Finnick later.


	7. a hint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look another chapter
> 
> ohmigod this chapter turned out sappier than planned dammit

He kept the rock in his front pocket of his police uniform pants.

He had purposefully tried to forget that it was there, to be honest. He didn’t touch it or finger it while talking to her. It just sat heavy in his pocket, occasionally brushed by his fingers or another item there to join it. He didn’t acknowledge that it existed.

Yet he did. Every time he talked to her, he could feel the searing weight the gem gave off on his person. Just having the stone while talking to her put a new emphasis on his words, a new style of talking he took around her. She never brought it up how he acted more polite, more apologetic. His words became less of a stuttering mess, and more of a cool, slick gentlefox his mom always told him that his dad was. He hated how it gave his false confidence, or how quickly his attention was drawn away from others to her just by the false jolt he pretended it gave him.

And then, one day, she discovered it.

It was laundry day on the police force for them. His uniform had lost its bright taste of the week. Worn down just like him, it was enough that Judy took it upon herself to drag him to get it cleaned. He had objected, of course; she didn’t need to be taking _care_ of his needs (never mind that it flustered a part of him to see her caring for him). He expected her not to listen to him. He expected her to stubbornly take his dirty uniform pants and throw them in the wash. He just didn’t expect her to see if there was anything in the pockets.

Then it came.

“What’s this, Nick?” A light laugh, as she took her hands and put them in his pocket over the lump where the gem was. He almost threw himself at her, and stopped her, but by then it was too late, and the mischievous stone gleamed in the light of the laundry department. “Didn’t know you collected stones, you sly fox.”

“Ah, no. I don’t. Usually.” He stammered, trying to slap her paws away from the useless stone-  _so much for not stuttering-_ he regretted everything, but by then it was later than late. “I don’t usually, ah, could you just give that and yeah, thanks-”

She jerks the tiny moon away, laughing, and now they’re playing a game of keep-away, and he’s so close to her and---

\--- he grabs her paw holding the gem and time grows still.

Breathless, he realizes too late that he’s still holding onto her paw, and he’s breathing hard, staring down at her. Her purple eyes are wide, like she’s stunned, but they’re so beautiful, just like the mini-moon wrapped in the gray of her fur. He’s not moving, but something in him urges him to _get away_ and so quickly he lets go as if burned. Words try to come, but they fade in his muzzle, strangled by the awkward tension vibrating in the air. The gem is forgotten.

“Oh- Oh, I’m so sorry, Carrots, did I hurt you, I’m sorry I just panicked and-” He chokes out, sounding muffled in the loud buzz of the silent room. Judy says nothing, staring at the stone.

When she talks, his world shatters.

“What, you have a special someone in your life?” She gives a half-smile, and he can see the hurt in her eyes, _what does it mean?_ He’s panicked in the inside, as she holds out the stone, and slips it in his numb palm. He can feel it still warm from her paw. “I understand, Nick. That was rather disrespectful of me to do if the thing means that much.”

“No, Carrots, it doesn’t- I don’t have someone in my life.” He stutters more, and the damn gem is burning against his fur. “I-I have a crush on someone else. Someone special. This, Finnick just gave it to me, and like, it’s supposed to help me balance my anxiety and-”

He’s just making this worse by talking. He shuts up as Judy’s eyes soften.

“Oh? That so? Sorry, I just assumed. Say hello to them for me.” She says, chirpier than before, and continues doing the laundry. He slips the gem back into his pocket.

“Aye, aye, Captain Toot-Toot.” He answers. "I will, tomorrow."

They don’t mention it again for the rest of the day.


	8. a serious conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thus as i'm actually productive af today.
> 
> short chapters are good chapters. they're a bunch of vignettes, comeon.
> 
> Description: Whereas Nick think he's lost it for good.

He never knew he would have a serious conversation with a gemstone.

That wasn’t the problem, he concludes, as he stares into the void stone that flickers innocently up at him. No, that wasn’t the problem at all. His sanity was perfectly at its limit already with emotions, logic and stability fighting amongst him. No, talking to an inanimate object was something he expected of himself at this point. He expected nothing else, in fact. Inanimate objects didn’t talk back. They didn’t tell him that his viewpoints were stupid, and that he should suck it up and tell her before he was consumed by his emotions. They just sat there and smiled up as he ranted about how he needed to pull his life together.

What worried him was the fact he was lecturing a gemstone to not help him with his relationship when the gemstone was clearly bought for that one sole purpose, as well as washing his dishes, drying his clothes and ironing his police uniform. Mostly washing dishes, though.

Yep. He was totally losing it at this point.

“Mr. Moonstone, I have many complaints.” He tells the stone as his hands, aggravated with the ferocity of a savage on crack, scrub the living daylights out of his well-worn pans. He pauses only to give the stone a murderous glance, and then continues his dishes. The room’s silence is overwhelmed by the scratching of ragged cloth on metal. “Many complaints. Like, what you did to me yesterday.”

_So what,_ the stone seems to argue back, and he knows he’s losing it at this point. _You got to hold her hand for once. Now, all you need to do is get it on._

“No, I’m not stepping from not even a step to that.” He glares at the rock, and throws the cups into the dishwasher. “Shut up.”

_Wow. Even though I’m helping you._ The stone seems to say, and he rolls his eyes. _You gotta talk to her more. Like, remember what she said? Say hello to your crush for her! Do it, fox. Take your slick butt and say one word to her. **Hello.** Done._

“I’m not doing that. At all.” He answers, and the stone seems to sigh. “Look, that’s ruining everything I worked towards in gaining her friendship. I’m not ruining that because you want to play matchmaker.”

_Sure, it’s not like I was made for that purpose entirely._ He can almost hear the Finnick in the stone. _You gotta do it. Fox up a bit. Be the courageous predator you are._

“Foxes are not courageous. We’re cowards, you know.” He finishes dishes with a huff of vexed exasperation. “Real cowards.”

_And? Still gotta get your bunny._ The Moonstone seems to be laughing, and he considers throwing it out the window while screaming bloody murder. His landowner probably would have a heart-attack from upstairs. He doesn’t. _You must date her. And then my purpose on this planet will be fulfilled._

“Ha, ha, ha.” He moves to his bed, and grabs his uniform. Pulling it over his tank top and shorts, he fastens his belt and is ready for the day. Except for coffee. He grabs that too while he’s at it. “I’m not doing any of that.”

_Yes, you are. You’re thinking about it right now._

“I am not.”

_Yes._

“Nope, not at all.” He drains his coffee, while putting on his shoes. Almost forgets his phone. That would be horrible. Ten texts from Finnick show on the screen when he turns it on; he ignores it.

_You are going to do it._ The stone urges as he finally finishes procrastinating for work. _It’s highly likely._

“I’m not doing it,” he says as he walks out the door, holding more courage than he could ever. “And you can’t stop me.”

His neighbours probably think he’s nuts.


	9. .

He walks up to her in the department. She’s alone, thankfully, and her ears perk up as he gets closer.

“Oh, hey Nick, I was just getting ready.” Her face is split in a grin. “How’s it going?”

“Hello,” he says back, and walks away without another word.

He doesn’t get to see her eyes snap wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh snap


End file.
